Different Senses (70 page)

“Ythen’s not ready,” I said,
sitting down.

Shardul grunted, not even
looking up.

“Hope they don’t keep us
waiting. I’ve got things to do at the office. You busy?”

He looked up then,
sneering. “Of course not. We
banis
don’t have anything to keep
us occupied. We’re so lazy and shiftless, after all.”

I held up my hands. “Whoa.
Didn’t say a word about that. You’re sort of touchy, aren’t
you?”

“And you’re rude. Do I look as
if I want to have a conversation with you? I’m reading an important
document.”

“Yeah? What about? I left my
reader behind. Didn’t think I’d have time for it.”

Shardul muttered something,
which sounded like “or the brains”. I tried not to grin. “How long
do you think they’ll keep us waiting?”

“How in the name of the Blessed
Spirit would I know? They’re your people, not mine. If you’re so
concerned, go find someone and ask.”

Still not the slightest hint of
recognition. Captain Largosen, watching via hidden video, would be
delighted. I didn’t know what else to say to Shardul short of
provoking an outright argument, which might make him walk out, so I
sat back and waited, and shortly after, the captain came in, his
expression and emotions muted once more.

He pulled up a chair and laid a
file out on the table. “Ah, gentlemen, sorry to keep you
waiting.”

“
Where’s Javen?” Shardul
asked, sharpness in his tone and worry in his emotions.
Why
,
Shardul, I never
knew you cared.

“Right next to you.”

Shardul opened his mouth to
argue, then shot me a venomous look. I gave him a cheery little
wave. “Hi.”

He shoved his chair back.
“Don’t be ridiculous. This is Gafur Kawildin. We travelled
together. A very annoying companion.”

“I’m sure he’ll be delighted to
hear that,” Captain Largosen said. “Sergeant, would you care
to...?”

“Shardul, we danced together at
the governor’s ball last year, and the press thought we were a
couple. You threatened to call a press conference to announce our
engagement.”

He leaned back, staring
intently at me. “Javen...no. How...?”

“A lot of surgery, a voice box
modulator, and acting,” I said. “Looks like it passes,” I said to
the captain.

“So this was just a game for
your purposes,” Shardul snarled at Largosen. “I really do have
better things to do, you realise.”

“Sri Shardul, please calm down.
Your visit this morning is useful for more than one reason. As it
happened, yes, it suited us to have someone who knows Sergeant
Ythen so very well, see him in his disguise. But you needed to see
him now and get used to the transformation, and I also need to
brief you both about moving this plan forward. First of all, Sri
Shardul, be kind enough to report on the situation with Sri
Sanjeev.”

Shardul treated us all to a
death glare before he responded. “He continues to see me as an
ally, but hasn’t offered me any confidential information. My
feeling is that he won’t unless I do. He’s no fool.”

“Agreed. In three days, we’re
going to raid a warehouse on Dutinte Street. You will tell him
about it and report this tip has come from your lover, Gafur
Kawildin.”

“Lover?” Shardul’s voice rose
to a near-squeak in shock.

“Now wait a minute,” I said,
running over Shardul’s surprise. “You never said anything about us
posing as lovers.”

“Plans change,” Captain
Largosen said without a sign of apology. “It will lend
verisimilitude and explain why Sri Shardul has access to such
sensitive information. A mere friend might be suspected. A lover,
much less so.”

A lesser man would have
shrivelled under the force of Shardul’s scorn. “And how will I
explain a previously unsuspected lover to him? Or anyone
enquiring?”

“
Sri Shardul,
I
have
been enquiring. Your sexual liaisons are conducted with extreme
discretion. Your name has not been publicly linked with anyone
other than the sergeant in at least eight years, yet you have not
been celibate, have you?” Shardul shook his head, lips pursed with
aggravation. I didn’t blame him. “So the fact no one has seen your
new lover with you, won’t be a surprise. You don’t have to act as
if you’re in love, of course. That would be too much of a
stretch.”

“Thank you,” I said sourly. I
could have killed him for this. Did he have any idea how close to
the bone he’d come with this idea? “I don’t see it as
necessary—”

“Your opinion wasn’t asked for,
sergeant.”

“Nor was mine,” Shardul said,
“but I agree with Javen. This is ridiculous. I never agreed to
this.”

“We’re not asking you to
actually sleep with him, just to say you are. Come, come, Sri
Shardul. Lives are being lost and you cavil at a tiny white
lie?”

Shardul managed to hold in the
insults I could practically see on his forehead, but his lips shook
with the effort. I jumped in before he lost control.

“Sir, the more lies we tell,
the harder it will be to keep them all straight.”

“
One
lie, sergeant, and I’m sure remembering whether
or not you two are sleeping together won’t be difficult. I don’t
intend to waste time on further discussion. Our objective is to win
a meeting between Sri Sanjeev and you as soon as possible. I’m not
interested in scruples at this point. Sri Shardul, did you have
anything else to say to the sergeant?”

“No.” His blue eyes pinned me,
revulsion and confusion pouring off him as he scanned the
unfamiliar landscape of my features. He hated my new face. So did
I. “Am I done?”

“Yes, you may leave. I’ve
arranged transport. Thank you for coming. I’ll send you the precise
information to pass to Sri Sanjeev. Remember the aim is for Sanjeev
to request a meeting with the sergeant.”

I wanted to talk to Shardul,
but the captain was clearly in no mood to allow it. Anyway, Shardul
was too pissed off for rationality. Hopefully when he calmed
down....

And when
I
did....

Damn Captain Largosen. How many
more humiliations was this scheme of his going to dump on our
heads?

The captain looked at me coolly
as the door closed behind Shardul. “Perhaps you should refresh your
knowledge of the chain of command, sergeant.”

“I’m sorry, sir. I was taken by
surprise.”

“It’s likely to happen again,
so you should be ready for it. I don’t dismiss your opinion or
knowledge, but there is a time and a place. That was neither.”

“
Yes, sir.”
Go fuck yourself.
Bloody military.

He grunted. “Now you and
Kawildin will spend the day together. You’ll work with a voice
coach to perfect mannerisms and so on, and Kawildin will
familiarise you with his new residence and routine. This is your
last chance to do so. If your friend does his job properly, you
could be meeting Sri Sanjeev within a week. Clearly your physical
disguise is as close to perfect as we could wish. It’s up to you to
make the rest of the act credible.”

“Sir.”

“Well, off you go, sergeant.
Kawildin is still in your room.”

Chapter 6

Two days later, I moved to a
safe house—an apartment, actually—with enclosed entrances and
exits. I would enter and leave only inside a vehicle with mirrored
windows, and make no contact with any neighbours. Captain Largosen
told me I’d be wheeled out as necessary, and otherwise, as far as
the world was concerned, I wouldn’t exist—a creepy turn of phrase
that did nothing to quell my nerves.

At least Mum and Dad could now
call at will. Tara and the family had arrived safely on Kelon and
Yashi’s treatment had begun. That was all the news they had, but I
was glad to have it. Mum had also gone to the trouble of finding
out how friends like Kirin were doing, just so she could pass it on
to me, and had even called Madan to ask how the office was coping.
My alleged presence on Kelon gave her a perfect excuse, but I was
surprised, and quite touched that she’d done that. Maybe it was a
nice distraction from worrying about Dad. I was still grateful.

Shardul could also call
at will, but he hadn’t. I wasn’t allowed to call him. I desperately
wanted to talk this all out with him, and share my feelings about
this unwanted charade we had to play, but he didn’t feel the same
way, apparently. Maybe it bothered me a lot more than it bothered
him. I wanted to
know
, that was all.

Three days after I moved in, I
got the call from Largosen just as I was heading to bed, bored and
frustrated with the inaction. “Sergeant? Sri Sanjeev wants to meet
you tomorrow.”

“Uh, great. When and
where?”

“Breakfast at his house. Sri
Shardul will take you there.”

“That doesn’t give us much time
to talk first.”

“I’m afraid not, but I’ve seen
you two working. You’ll be fine taking cues from him. The main
thing is that you are to make it clear that you’ll be happy to tip
him off on further crucial developments, out of resentment towards
the Kelons, and, er, affection for Sri Shardul.”

Bastard
. “Yes, sir.”

“Fine. You’ll be collected at
six and dropped downtown. Sri Shardul will pick you up and take you
to this address.” He read out details of a house in a slightly
upmarket area on the other side of the river—not all that far from
Madan’s place, in fact. “On your return, take a taxi to the staff
car park at the police station, and you’ll be collected from there.
I don’t need to remind you how critical this meeting is.”

“No, sir.”

“Good luck. We’ll speak
afterwards.”

Of course he’d also be
listening in through the transmitter-recorder in my jaw implant.
“Good night, sir.”

Shardul should have called me
to tell me about this. Was he pissed or rattled? The journey from
the city centre to Sanjeev’s house would take ten minutes, max. Not
nearly long enough for a proper briefing, and nowhere near enough
to talk through his feelings about my face. But who was I kidding?
I was the last person Shardul would talk to about anything so
personal. The fact he hadn’t called was proof of that. I had to let
it go.

I was becoming an insomniac on
this case. I got maybe two hours’ sleep that night, and was
wide-awake when my ride came. The driver dropped me off downtown,
and thirty seconds’ later, Shardul’s auto pulled over and the door
opened for me.

I slid into the passenger seat.
“Thanks for the lift.”

Shardul didn’t look at me as he
closed the door and drove off. “Wasn’t my idea. You should know
that one of our people shot a police officer last night. Killed
her.”

“Cursed insanity.” I hadn’t
looked at the news feed. I’d been wound up enough as it was.
“Anyone arrested?”

“
Yes. I wanted you to
have time to switch your reaction from what
you
would do to what
Gafur would do, if Sanjeev mentions it.”

“Guy’s an ex-cop. Difficult to
know what’s the best line. Could anyone be shitty enough to be glad
at a fellow officer being killed?”

He glanced at me. “In this
case, Sanjeev will expect you to be. I’ve painted you as quite the
hater of all things Kelon.”

“Just like you.”

“Indeed.”

“Including me?”

“
Not here,
Gafur.
” He
gestured at my face. “The transmitter is working well, I
presume?”

I’d forgotten, even with the
signal booster sitting in my pocket. “I guess so. Anything else I
need to know?”

“We spent last night
together.”

“And was it good?”

“I’ve had better.”

I’d have laughed but he wasn’t
smiling. “Tell me about Sanjeev.”

“He hates Kelons, but is
prepared to do business with them. He’s not political, strangely,
but is well-informed.”

“Strange type for an
activist.”

“
Indeed. He’s secretive,
and doesn’t appreciate questions about his affairs, even from me.
Frankly I’m surprised he’s prepared to meet you, but apparently his
contacts were
very
grateful for the tip-off.”

“Exactly what Captain Largosen
wanted.”

“Of course. Please
don’t...engage in sickening endearments or gestures in front of
him. I’m not prepared to carry out that kind of charade.”

“I wouldn’t ask it. You know I
wouldn't.”

He didn’t reply, his eyes fixed
firmly on the road. I looked away, not wanting to see in his face
the emotions I felt from him—again, strangely muted. “Are you doing
something to my empathy?” I asked after a minute or so of
uncomfortable silence.

“No. How could I?”

He was lying. Shardul had never
lied to me before. But I couldn’t ask him about it because Captain
Largosen was listening.

We drove over Pada bridge and
turned towards Darliw, Shardul’s tension growing with every metre
of the journey. “We’ll be fine. We make a good double act,
according to the captain.”

The barked laugh that greeted
my remark was welcome, but too short. “I’m out of practice.”

I bit my tongue before I could
say the hurtful, “Whose fault is that?” It wasn’t anyone’s fault.
It was just a fact.

The auto pulled into the drive
of a nice but unflashy house, a kind lived in by thousands of
families in the region, and utterly unremarkable. “He couldn’t
afford better?”

“
He is
udawatha
.
We don’t believe in ostentation for its own sake,
remember?”

“Um, yeah.” One of the Seeker’s
first guiding principles, in fact.